Knee brace or stabilizer



June 16, 1953 n A, L, SCHULTZ 2,641,761

KNEE BRACE OR STABILIZER Filed April 6, 1951 INVENTOR :j ffm-SOA u zzzBY @MAM ATTORNEYS Patented June 16, 1953 UNITED vSTATES PATENT OFFICEKNEE BRACE OR STABILIZER August L. Schultz, Mitchell, S. Dak.

Application April 6, 1951, Serial No. 219,691

4 Claims.

This invention relates to a knee brace or support.

An object of this invention is to provide in an elastic sleeve orbandage adapted to engage about a knee, means fixed within the sleeve orbandage adapted to localize support and stability so as to aid inhealing sprains, strainsy torn muscles, tendons and ligaments, and toprevent a re-occurrence of such injuries.

Another object of this invention is to provide a knee supporter whichwill not interfere with the normal movement of the limbs and willsupport an unstable knee resulting from injuries and damage to thesemi-lunar cartilages.

A further object of this invention is to provide a knee supporter whichcan be readily applied or removed.

With the above and other objects in view, my invention consists in thearrangement, combination and .details of construction disclosed in thedrawings and specification, and then more particularly pointed out inthe appended claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a detailed side 'elevation of a new supporter constructedaccording to an embodiment of this invention.

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a plan view laid out at on the inner side of the supporter.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional View taken on the line 4 4 of Figure3.

Refering to the drawing the numeral I designates generally an elasticsleeve which is adapted to be disposed in encasing position about a kneeK. The sleeve I0 is of such length as to extend above and below the kneejoint, and the sleeve I0 has disposed therein a pair of confrontingresilent or cushioned supporting members generally designated as II.

The supporting members I I are of substantially K shape, and eachembodies an elongated longitudinal or vertical bar I3 extendingsubstantially the full length of the sleeve I0, and the bar I3 hasprojecting from one edge thereof a pair of rearwardly divergent'bars I4The bar I3 has extending from the opposite or forward edge thereof anarcuate projection I5 which is dis- .posed substantially midway betweenthe ends of the bar I3.

A rearwardly projecting or lateral bar I6 projects right angularly fromthe edge of bar I3 opposite from arcuate projection I5 and projects fromthe inner angle formed by the divergent bars I4.

The outer edges of the several bars including the projection I5 arerounded oli' as indicated at I'I so that the edges of the cushionmembers II will not cut or bind the skin of the wearer. Each of thecushion members II is preferably formed of sponge rubber or otherinherently resilent material which will localize the pressure applied tothe limb by the elastic sleeve I0. The arcuate projection I5 and therearward projection I6 will normally be disposed at substantially thejoint between the leg members and the divergent bars I3 and I4projecting from opposite sides of the horizontal or lateral bar I6 areadapted to exertv additional pressure on the ligaments and muscles andtendons disposed above and below the knee joint. Such arcuate projectionI5 and the rearward projection I6 and the divergent bars I3 and Ill actas splints for the purpose of protecting and supporting specificmuscles, ligaments and tendons involved in the knee joint and adjacentthereto.

The arcuate projection I5 is designed to apply localized pressure on thesides of the knee. This knee supporter is designed for the purpose ofeffecting an improved support for injured knees including strains,sprains, or other injuries to the knee of the individual.

While the brace or stabilizer is shown as being secured to the inside ofan elastic sleeve with two races disposed in opposed relation, it willbe understood that in certain cases these K-shaped cushion members maybe used independently of the elastic sleeve, by being taped or otherwisesecured in desired position, and then wrapped or supported with anordinary elastic bandage, or other means; and where the bracing effectis to be applied on only one side of the knee, only one of the K-shapedcushion members may be used.

What is claimed is: y

1. A knee support comprising an elastic sleeve, and a pair of cushionedsupporting members iixed in said sleeve in opposed relation, each memberbeing formed of an elongated longitudinally disposed bar, and a pair ofdivergent bars extending from said rst named bar, and a laterallyprojecting bar extending right angularly from said rst-mentioned barvbetween said divergent bars.

2. A knee support comprising an elastic sleeve,

' and a pair of cushioned supporting members xed in said sleeve inopposed relation, each member being :formed of an elongatedlongitudinally disposed bar, a pair of divergent bars extending from oneedge of said first named bar, and an arcuate projection extending fromthe opposite edge of 3 said rst named bar at a point substantially mid-Way of the length of the latter.

3. A knee support comprising an elastic sleeve. and a pair of cushionedsupporting members fixed in said sleeve in opposed relation, each memberbeing formed of an elongated longitudinallyrdisposed bar, a pair ofdivergent bars extending from one edge of said rst named bar, an arcuateprojection extending from the opposite edge of said rst named bar at apoint substantially midway of the'length of the latter, and a laterallyprojecting bar extending right angularly from said first named barcppositely from said arcuate projection. Y

4. A 'knee support comprising a pair ofA Number cushioned supportingmembers in opposed relation, each member being formed of an elongatedrlongitudinally disposed bar, a pair of divergent bars extending from oneedge of said first-named bar, an arcuate projection extending from theopposite edge of said rst-named bar at a point substantially midway ofthe length of the latter, and a laterally projecting bar extending rightangularly from said rst-named bar oppositely from said arcuateprojection, and means for securing said supporting members on oppositesides of the knee.

AUGUST L. SCHULTZ.

References Cited in thefle of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NameDate Jung Jan. 30, 1940 Manzeck Aug. 5, 1941 OTHER REFERENCES 1889Catalog of Tiemann Co., New York., p. 662.

